Ch. 29

"You know, I really just don't like that Rorschach," said Sally, the next morning.

Laurie closed her eyes, feeling the faint beginnings of a headache. Sally was doing the breakfast dishes, and Laurie wished she could just leave the house. Sally would have none of that, however.

"You never visit your old mother anymore, Laurie," Sally had said. "Why not spend just one day with me before you run off with your friends?"

Laurie felt compelled to stay after that, but now she felt as if her mother wanted her around just to subject her to verbal torture.

"Nite Owl II is a very polite, bright boy," Sally continued, before Laurie could say anything. "He's good looking too, don't you think?"

"Nite Owl II is an annoying pushover," said Laurie, folding her arms.

"He's not so bad; I think he's sweet." Laurie's mother was practically pouting.

"Then you marry him," said Laurie.

"You're not going to marry him, are you? That Rorschach?" asked Sally, turning to Laurie as if she had just told her she was going to jump off a building.

"What's wrong with Rorschach?" asked Laurie, avoiding the direct question.

"He gives me the heebie jeebies -- I mean honestly, he's dressed like one of those perverts you'd find in those shady theaters."

"I'm sure you know all about those perverts, Mother."

"Laurie -- don't talk to your mother like that."

"I don't see what's wrong with the way he's dressed," argued Laurie. "I think he looks more like a private eye. Besides, what does that have to do with his personality?"

"You can tell a lot about someone by the way they dress."

"I doubt his intent with his costume was for him to impress people with it in that regard."

"Even still, it's not as nice as how Nite Owl II dresses, dear."

Laurie sighed.

"He copied someone else, Mother."

"No, he improvised -- made the original costume even better."

"Mother, what does this have to do with anything?"

Sally sighed loudly. Finished with the dishes, she turned off the faucet and faced Laurie while drying her hands.

"He's rude, anti-social and brooding -- he seems rather harsh, Laurie -- he isn't good enough for you."

"I think he's perfectly acceptable." Laurie glared at her mother.

"Well it goes to show you how inexperienced you are at choosing men."

"At least I'm not getting married to someone just for the sake of being comfortable in my old age," said Laurie, standing up.

"Who told you that?" Sally looked surprised.

"You did, Mom -- you were drunk at the time so maybe you don't remember."

"Oh," Sally composed herself again. "Anyway, if you think you're going to marry this man, you've got another thing coming."

"We can elope then," said Laurie. She wasn't even sure why they were having this argument. Walter hadn't even proposed marriage to her, let alone discussed it.

"Don't expect any money from me."

"We can live in the street if we have to, then."

"That's ridiculous, Laurie, be a little realistic, will you?"

"I think you're being ridiculous if you think I'm going to turn around and go out with Dan."

"How will you know who you really like if you only go out with one man?"

"I found someone I liked already -- why do I have to look for anybody else?"

"To see if there's anyone better," said Sally, folding her own arms. "And there are plenty of better men out there."

"And that's why you're happy and content, Mother," said Laurie.

"Laurie -- what's gotten into you?" Sally held her hand to her heart as if Laurie had attacked her for no reason.

"I don't like what you're saying about Rorschach," Laurie sighed. "You never liked him to begin with and you're just reaching with these comments."

"No, Laurie," said Sally, shaking her head as if Laurie was a very stupid, silly thing. "While you were out yesterday, I had a chance to talk to this sweetheart of yours, and he said something very demeaning to me."

"What?" Laurie was taken aback. It didn't sound like something Rorschach would do, regardless of whether or not he disliked her mother.

"I also don't like the way he looks at me, in that awful accusing manner," sighed Sally. "Were you the one who told him about your father?"

"No," said Laurie. "No...actually, he's the one who found out and told me."

"What was he doing snooping around in your business like that?"

"He likes to do that."

"Creep, I tell you, Laurie, you're going to have to be careful, or you're going to be stuck with a demanding man who asks you for the most distasteful of favors, and treats you like his property."

"He's just fine as he is."

Sally's eyes widened for some reason, and suddenly she was laughing at her. Laurie stared at her as if she had gone insane.

"Oh, I see," said Sally. "I see now. He's good in bed, is that it? That's what this is about?"

"What?" Laurie felt her face flush. "No-- I mean, we haven't done any of that, Mother!"

"Laurie," Sally shook her head. "Do you think I was born yesterday? There's no need to lie about things like that."

"I'm not lying," shouted Laurie.

"Sweetheart," said Sally, trying the comforting mother approach. "There's nothing to be ashamed of. I bedded plenty of men in my day."

"Uck," said Laurie. "Mother, I don't want to hear about that."

"It's perfectly natural."

"No!"

"I just don't want you to end up getting pregnant by a man who doesn't take responsibility."

"I'm not going to get pregnant!"

"That's not something you decide -- it gets decided for you when you sleep around."

Laurie stared at her mother.

"Mother, what kind of person do you think I am?"

"A young teenage girl who doesn't know any better."

"I'm not like you."

"I'm not saying that you are. In many ways you are like Eddie -- very stubborn and impossible to have a civilized conversation with."

Laurie frowned and didn't say anything. It seemed that she just wasn't going to win this no matter how she looked at it.

"Now, why don't I make you a cake?" asked Sally. Laurie stared at her, wondering if she had finally lost it.

"All right," sighed Laurie; wondering what to expect next, she braced herself.

"I invited Nite Owl II," she told her. "For lunch. Just the three of us."

"Mother," exclaimed Laurie. "Are you setting us up?"

"I just like him, that's all," said Sally, shaking her head. "It's just lunch."

Laurie frowned and dreaded the rest of the day. Dan showed up out of costume and mostly spoke to Sally, who seemed to want to ask him a billion questions, then give Laurie a "See?" look whenever Dan would talk. Laurie was bored. After lunch, Sally tried to get Laurie to chat with Dan while she did the dishes. Laurie just glared at Dan while Dan looked increasingly uncomfortable.

"So, uh," said Dan, turning red. "You and Rorschach, eh?"

"Yes," snapped Laurie, "And it's going to stay that way whether you like it or not."

"All right," said Dan, adjusting his glasses. "Broke up with Walter, huh?"

Laurie looked at Dan in horror. He had asked the question just as Sally came in.

"Who's Walter?" asked Sally, smiling.

Laurie opened her mouth and hoped that the right words would come out.

"Dan, how's Ozymandias?" Laurie stared at him.

"Huh?" Dan blinked at her. "I haven't fought with him recently."

"Oh, that's too bad," Laurie nodded. "I guess he found out about the Twilight Lady, huh?"

Dan looked shocked. He seemed to have lost his ability to speak.

"What's this about the Twilight Lady?" asked Sally.

"Oh, he used to date her -- isn't that great?" Laurie laughed. "Anyway, I think I'm going back to Dad's -- I left my costume there, and I'd like to go out tonight. See you later, Dan."

"B-Bye," Dan looked like he had lost function of his limbs. He limply sat on the couch as he gawked after her.

"Laurie, do you have to leave?" Sally looked sad.

"I didn't know you stayed at your father's house," said Dan, looking at her all of a sudden. "Who's your father?"

Laurie turned to look at Dan in disbelief. She had to keep herself from slapping him.

"See you later, Dan," she told him. "Bye Mom."

Laurie heard her mother say something to her as she was leaving, but Laurie ran out before she heard something that would make her guilty and force her to stay again. Laurie tried to clear her mind of all the harsh words swirling around her head, courtesy of her mother. Then of course, Dan had to open his big mouth. Laurie wondered if Sally would pry information out of Dan while she was alone with him. Of course she would. Laurie cringed at the idea. Then she stopped walking when she had a horrible thought. Sally had been a regular at the dress shop. What if she put the pieces together and figured things out? Worse yet -- what if Mr. Greer mentioned her and Walter while her mother was at the shop? Laurie worried about it all the way back to Blake's. Blake was out in front, mowing the lawn. He stopped when he saw Laurie.

"Hey," he said, smiling. "I thought you were staying out for the weekend?"

"Dad," said Laurie, rushing up and hugging him. He seemed surprised. "It was terrible."

Blake laughed.

"What now?"

Laurie told him the conversation she had with Sally regarding Rorschach.

"I don't know why she has to be so hateful like that," said Laurie. "And Nite Owl II? Seriously?"

"Eh -- it's just because he's a banker's son and a kiss ass," said Blake, waving his hand around.

"And a blabbermouth," muttered Laurie.

"What?"

"She invited him for lunch today. He... well, he asked a stupid question. I guess I need to explain first, otherwise it won't make any sense."

Blake listened patiently as Laurie told him about the dress shop and Walter, all the while not referring to him by name. She told him how she found out that it had been Rorschach, and how Dan had seen the two of them together.

"Dan asked me loudly, in front of Mom, if I had broken up with the guy in the dress shop," Laurie told him, finally.

Blake started to laugh and continued on for a few minutes as Laurie watched him, offended.

"It's not funny," she told him.

"Oh, but it is," he said. "Mark my words, if your mother has a chance at Rorschach again, she's going to think she has something to one-up him with. She'll mention this dress shop guy and then it'll actually be him and... man, that's hilarious."

"I still don't see what there is to laugh about," sighed Laurie. "It's awful."

"Laurie, don't listen to your mother -- if you take everything she says seriously she's going to drive you crazy."

"But if she disapproves of Rorschach this much--"

"Then she'll have to deal with it."

Laurie almost argued, but after thinking about it for a moment, she shrugged.

"Fair enough," she told her father. Then she smiled. "Going out tonight."

"Have fun," said Blake, turning back to the yard as Laurie went inside to change.

-----

To be continued...